[Dixielandjazz] Sacramento Jazz Festival

[Charlie Hull]

Borcher. There's a name you don't see any more in the Sacramento jazz 
literature, including the event program or website. A websearch for Bill 
Borcher will show his biggest claim to fame was as an Oregon baskeball 
coach, but while a dean at a Sacramento college Bill helped found the 
Jazz Jubilee and built it into the world's largest. He had a knack for 
getting people to work as a team, was open to ideas and delegated 
responsibility for getting things done.

While originally a trad jazz festival, swing bands were soon added, then 
an increasing variety of other genres; ragtime, western swing, blues, 
zydeco; toward attracting larger audiences.

Borcher eventually moved back to Oregon and was replaced as director. 
The Jubilee eventually outgrew itself and started running in the red. 
This year's event, renamed Sacramento Jazz Festival, is scaled down to a 
more compact locale and fewer bands. It's still a major presentation of 
fun music. The program and band descriptions are available on 
www.sacjazz.com.

The Jubilee (Oops...Festival) is an interesting study in the evolution 
of entertainment events, leadership styles and changes for change's 
sake. The cash register will tell whether the changes are for the 
better. Whatever, it's fun to perform in it and maintain the 
relationships established since my first one in 1978.

Charlie Hull

Mike Marois wrote:
> Hey All;
>
> Thanks for the link Bob.  I find it interesting that the festival direction
> has steered away from what had made it the greatest festival in the world
> during the 70's and 80's.  I remember the hay days of over 100 jazz bands
> from all around the world with attendance of well over 100,000 patrons.
> With this festival rename it looks as if the festival direction is trying to
> distance itself from what the Borcher bunch created.
>
> Take care,
> Mike Marois
>     
>